Notes: Catboy AU.

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Dirt matted in the soft fur of Keith's ears and down into his hair. Clumping the strands into stiff little spikes. Shiro could see it from the back of the group as they all trudged back into the Castle. Exhausted and aching, but still a little high from their victory. The Princess already greeted them and it wasn't until much later that Shiro gets to ask about it.

"There was a plant," Keith says as the dirt flakes off under Shiro's fingers. A brown that's almost rust colored. Keith leans sideways into Shiro, ear flicking down to allow him more access. His still armored shoulder bumps into Shiro's chest.

"A potted plant on a Galra ship?" Shiro asks and feels like laughing over the absurdity of it. Over the fact that something so mundane could be found on a battle ship, or over the image of a serious soldier watering a delicate looking geranium. He wraps an arm around Keith to adjust him so they're both comfortable and keeps scratching at the dirt.

The shower room is empty now, and waiting for them both to finish undressing, but there's something relaxing in just holding Keith now like this. Watching the other man's tail slowly arc through the air from the corner of his eye and feeling the warmth of his body.

"It had teeth," Keith says with a snort, and that does not improve the mental image Shiro has.

He laughs a bit, because of course a Galra houseplant would have teeth. Keith looks pleased to have drawn a laugh from him, and Shiro feels the smooth brush of Keith's tail against his arm.

It's a while before either of them manage to make it into the showers.

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